A Not So Bad Day
by LonelySoul828
Summary: Who knew the remedy for a bad day would be a fight? I suppose life is funny like that, huh? ::Drabble Series, maybe? not sure.:: Kenshin x Kaoru [a lot of ooc on Kenshin's part.]
1. Chapter 1

**A Not So Bad Day**

"Ah, damn." The test I had just received brandished a large red D on it. Right smack dab in the middle. I looked up at my bastard teacher, and noticed him smirk at me. I clenched my fists, crushing my test paper being held in one hand. _Damn you, Saito._ Luckily, the bell rang before my anger got too far.

This was definitely a bad day. I could count on one hand the number of bad days I've had in my whole 17 years of living. And let me tell you, when I get a bad day, it's really bad. It can't just be a little bad. Nope, my life just isn't that easy. Everything always has to come in an extreme. Fun, huh?

First, something so trivial as waking up late happens. Ok, that's just fine and dandy. No big deal, right? Well, then I get to school late, and my stupid teacher gives me a detention. Again, not the first time it's happened. I'm not exactly a perfect student, whatever. Afterwards, I get to first period and I realize the homework I actually bothered to do was still at home, on my desk. Perfect, right? Okay, I'll admit that one hurt a bit. I admit that I'm not a perfect student, but I do care about my grades. Then, as I'm walking down the hallway, alone as usual, some unlucky bastard (who turned out to be a jock) decides he wants to try and trip me. Years of hard-assed training with my uncle have A) taught me to be aware of my surroundings and B) gave me intense reflexes. So, needless to say, I easily jumped over the "precariously" placed foot in my way and then my fist accidentally landed on his face. Whoops. However, that accident landed me another detention. Damn it all. I have better things to do then sit around in detention and waste time. And lastly, the stupid test that I'm absolutely positive left a good dent in my grade in that class. This is definitely, most definitely, positively a bad day. Not nearly as bad as others have been… but it's still aggravating.

All these superficial snobs that go to school with me have labeled me the no good badass/ outcast. But seriously, I couldn't care less about what they say. And thus, that is why no one talks to me, and most people that value their precious faces stay away from me. I like my solitude. It relaxing, I suppose. Whenever I even walk through the hallway, they all scatter and go in the opposite direction (which amuses me to no end). Though, that's why I was a little more than surprised when someone bumped into me as I was walking out of school, sending me straight to my ass. What a great time to be in deep thought, eh?

My frustration was just about boiling over by now.

"Oh god. I am so sorry."

I looked up to find a girl with raven hair and bright blue eyes, also on ground, with books scattered around her. She was clad in nice form fitting jeans, with a simple blue tee shirt. She definitely didn't dress they way most of the snobbish sluts in this school did. I liked that. She also exuded a fighter's spirit. I watched as she collected her books, and felt myself get up with her. She muttered another apology, and looked down, awaiting a response. However, regardless of how much this girl interested me, my frustration and anger reared its ugly head.

"Shit. Watch where you're going, bitch," I snapped. I watched with slight interest as her bright blue eyes snapped up to mine. There was a brilliant and rebellious flame in her eyes.

"Excuse me?! I said I was sorry, bastard," she snapped back. Obviously, this mysterious girl was new here. I realized that I had never seen her around here, plus, she had the gall to actually stand up to me when all of the other pitiful students of this school couldn't. I smirked, feeling some of my anger drain away. Her rebellion was strangely refreshing.

Seeing me smirk seemed to make her angrier. I enjoyed watching the flame in her eyes grow stronger. "You're new here, aren't you?"

She shoved her books in her backpack, and slung it on her back- something she was obviously trying to do when she walked in to me. "Yeah, what of it."

"Ah, new meat. Well, I'm sure you'll just turn into another snobby slut soon. Have fun with that," I taunted. Truth was, she didn't seem like that type. Though, to my surprise, her fist was suddenly coming towards my face. Obviously, reflexes kicked in, and I caught the strong fist.

Surprise flickered briefly in her eyes, and she then seemed to rethink her actions.

Or not. I almost didn't have enough time to jump away as her knee came up, almost slamming into my gut. What a fighter. All of my previous frustration was slowly draining every second I was in her presence. I dropped the backpack carelessly hanging on my shoulder and retaliated. She only had enough time to also drop her bag as she blocked my oncoming punch. I was surprised yet again by this girl, as she was able to stand up against the amount of strength I put into my attack. Most _guys_ wouldn't be able to take that much pressure. This was definitely a practiced martial artist. I looked over her stance and it confirmed my suspicions.

I felt more frustration leave as we fought more (or danced, more in my opinion). It seemed like we were both just playing around. Neither of us had landed a hit. It was absolutely astonishing that she could block the attacks I threw at her. Astonishing… and attractive. Even though I wasn't using my full potential, I knew that this girl could most likely take on any other guy in this school and come out unscathed. I liked her already. Her face had a set look of determination. The fire in her eyes seemed to dance. It was like she enjoyed doing this. Just like I enjoyed it.

She threw another punch at me, and attempted a high kick towards my head. This was when I deemed it time to stop the little fight. I caught the punch, and dodged the kick, sending her off balance. She started falling, and she pulled me down with her, as I had anticipated. We landed in a semi awkward position, with me on top. I smirked again. The look of rage on her face was adorable.

"Well Thistle, wasn't that fun? You are quite the fighter; but it looks like I won."

"Don't call me that, you jackass."

I chuckled a little. "Well then, by all means, tell me your name."

"Kaoru. And you? No wait. I like calling you Jackass. So, we'll just stick with that."

This girl was so alluring. Kaoru. How perfect. I felt myself smile. "It's Kenshin."

"Well Kenshin, as much as I'm sure you're enjoying yourself, I would appreciate it if you got off of me."

"And why would I do that, Thistle?" I taunted.

"Goddammit, just get off of me, or I swear I will kick your ass."

I chuckled again, "In case you haven't noticed, _Kaoru_," she seemed to shudder at the way I said her name. Good. "you already tried that, and look where we ended up."

I could watch that flame in her eyes forever. This girl was absolutely beautiful. I heard her emit something that sounded like a growl. It was then, that I couldn't take it anymore. I started leaning down towards her. I watched those flaming eyes widen. My lips met hers. I nearly smiled in delight when she started moving her lips with mine. Our lips danced around, and I felt myself relax my hold on her, and run my hands through her silky raven hair.

I was so lost in the kiss, I didn't feel her hands move. The seemed to travel down, and ended up on my chest. And thus, she pushed me off of her. I smiled in amusement, though I was a bit disappointed at the loss of warmth. I watched as she scrambled to her feet, grabbed her bag, and ran away.

Oh Kaoru, this definitely will not be the end. I shall definitely be seeing you again.

I smiled, and realized that all of my anger and frustration was completely gone. I grabbed my bag and headed home.

I guess this day wasn't so bad, after all.

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Well, this was totally random. This was first intended as a one-shot. But, I'm not so sure anymore…. Oh well. You guys can decide that, I suppose.

Like it? Love it? Hate it? I'm open to all comments, questions, criticism, flames, advice…etc. This story was totally unedited, so I'm sorry for any and all mistakes and errors.

So, review, and tell me what you think.

Lonely Soul


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** BY POPULAR DEMAND….. THIS STORY WILL CONTINUE!!! Woo! I would like to thank all of my lovely reviewers.

::Cries::

You love me… you really really love me….

Ok, now, getting down to business: The first chapter of this story was totally unedited. I'm sure you all caught my lovely mistakes in it. I will go back and fix it someday. I re-read it though, and decided that I could definitely do more with it, and since every single review requested for it to be longer than just a one-shot…. I may continue this as a drabble series, or an actual story. I'm not sure yet. So, I'll just write, and you guys can decide what you want.

After a lot of deep, contemplative thought, I have decided that this will stay in Kenshin's POV. HOWEVER!!! I will take any requests you guys have for this. I have no plan for it, and I just plan to write…. So requests, ideas… those are nice.

Okay, these notes were important, so I hope you read them. But other than that, I'm done babbling.

**Disclaimer:**I own nothing. ::tear::

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**Chapter Two: Intuition Can Be an Ass**

There must have been some odd look on my face or something. I swear. No man can be that intuitive. I've heard of people being observant. But seriously, I am the person that betrays no emotion what so ever. Maybe anger, and amusement at watching someone squirm… but I show no inner deep emotions. I never let anything escape my façade. Everyone knows this. So why is this one man different? Dammit. He's so goddamn frustrating.

_Flashback: 10 Minutes ago…_

_I slowly made my way up the driveway of my home. I live with my uncle. It's just me and him. It's always been just me and him. We have an odd bond. I was never able to lie to him. He always knew of everything that I did. I always lost at hide-and-go-seek too. It wasn't till later that I realized that he always cheated. That damn ki sensing bastard. _

_Though, as I got older, I truly defined the term of teenager, and I was able to keep some stuff to myself. Like the time when I…_

_Shit. I hate it when I get into one of my contemplative moods. Anyway, I walked through my front door, only to have Hiko waiting. He had that annoying smirk on his face. Meaning, he knew something about me that I didn't know he knew, but he knew that I wouldn't want him to know anyway, and thus, it must give him some perverse pleasure to know that he knows something that I know, but probably won't acknowledge until he tells me. Only then, will I know. If I don't confuse myself first. _

"_Well, something sure brightened up your day. I wonder what could change the mood of you, baka." He eyes me, speculatively. But I knew it was only show. He must stalk me or something..._

"_Maybe I just had a good day, Shishou." I replied. Showing respect was something I rarely did. But I did have a lot of respect for Hiko. That, and if I didn't… than my I would be beyond sore after practice. _

"_Unlike you, I am not a baka. You had a terrible day today. I could feel the effects of it all the way from here. But I do know that something happened to make it better."_

_I sighed. "Shishou, I just…"_

"_Did you use protection?" Just like that. Point blank. I didn't know what to do. I blanched. The first distinguishable word coming out of my mouth was..._

"_Oro?!?!"_

_To my utter embarrassment, the small non-word sent the bastard into a huge fit of laughter. I felt my face heat up, something that only happens on the rarest of rare occasions. _

_I growled. This was getting irritating. "Shishou, it was nothing. I'm going up to my room." I started walking, attempting to pass him._

_Immediately, he was in front of me. "Baka deshi, there is this thing called humor. Learn it. Now back to my original point… it was a girl, wasn't it?"_

_I growled again, and passed him, making a bee line for my room._

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Blue eyes kept flashing through my mind. Hiko hit it straight on. How? Not sure. But he knew.

This girl was such an enigma. A fighter. Beautiful too, with those flaming eyes… My uncle decided to take this exact time to interrupt my lovely train of thought.

"Baka deshi! We're going to dinner at our new neighbor's house. Make yourself presentable," he yelled up.

Whatever. It's probably just an elderly couple. That dojo has been deserted since we've lived here.

I stood in front of the mirror. Slightly baggy blue jeans- presentable enough for me. Black shirt, brandishing a favorite saying of mine, "I don't do sympathy. Let's try sarcasm". Atleast it didn't have any profanities. Good enough, in my opinion. And hair in its regular ponytail… attempting to "make myself look more presentable", I ran my hand through my messy bangs to straighten them out a bit. And wallah! A presentable me.

Then a thought hit me. Who has dinner this early, anyway? Oh well. I couldn't care less, really.

I made my way downstairs, to where Hiko was waiting. He rolled his eyes at my appearance, but other than that, didn't say anything. The walk there took less than 3 minutes. I rang the doorbell. Hearing footsteps, I braced myself for the presence of some old lady, wanting to beat me with her cane or something for looking like a… what was it that old people say again?... a hooligan? Ah shit. Whatever.

The door opened, and I looked up to find a very familiar pair of bright blue eyes. At the sight of me, they widened ever so slightly before narrowing in a glare. I smirked, wanting to see the flame in her eyes again.

Hiko, ever the noticeable one, subtly hit me, and introduced us. "Hello there. I'm Seijurro Hiko. And this is Himura Kenshin. We live next door. I believe your father invited us." How come he never had manners like that around me?

"Of course, we've been expecting you." She let us in, without another word, and promptly led us to the family room. Her father was waiting there already. We took a seat, and while Hiko and her father conversed about stupid nothings. Kaoru leveled me with another glare, and was about to get up and leave when…

"Kaoru, honey. Why don't you give Kenshin, here a tour of our home?" She stiffened. However, I noticed she seemed to be obedient and refined around her father.

"Sure. Come on, _Kenshin,_" she grounded out. She stood, and left without a glance in my direction.

Entranced by her undeniable beauty, and most attractive spark of life, I followed. She led me around her home, labeling each room in a monotone voice, glancing at my every so often in a discreet manner. We finally got to the dojo. I noticed it wasn't in bad shape.

She stopped, and leaned against the wall. She seemed to be contemplating something. However I, on the other hand, had other plans in mind. I couldn't get the events of what happened earlier that afternoon out of my head. Needing more, I silently stepped to where she was.

In a moment, I had her up against the wall, my lips ravishing hers. Our bodies flushed together. She responded with as much vigor as I did. How alluring this girl was. And she probably didn't even notice. My hands were at her waist- one playing with the end of her shirt, while the other massaged her hip. I was so lost. I was lost in the feel of her touch, the warmth her body gave off, and the simple taste of her lips on mine. So lost, in fact, that when her hand came up to punch me, I didn't even notice.

I staggered back and looked up at her flushed face. Oh how cute she looked when she was embarrassed. Though, she had just punched me, I was amused that she had to practically force herself to stop our heated embrace.

"You are such a jackass. I don't want to be near you. I don't want to see you. And I definitely don't want to KISS you!!!!"

"Liar."

She screeched, and stormed out.

A silly smile formed on my face, and I was not able to beat it down through out dinner. Hiko gave me an odd look, and Kaoru glared at me the whole time.

But how I loved that look. Kaoru, this is not the end of you and me. Oh no, far from it. I may seem to be just a badass, but I know what I want. And when I want something… I get it.

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I don't even know what the hell this is. Honestly, with the way I plan to shape this... future updates will look better. I just needed something to act as a filler for some backround info. So yea... I hoped you enjoyed this sad attempt at... whatever this is. lol

Review! and I'll update quicker.

Thanks


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Well, here's another installment. This time though, I'll make extra sure that I don't have that many mistakes this time. I'm usually really good about editing my work… but it seems the first two chapters were absolutely atrocious.

Anywho, I am immensely glad to see how many people really like this. Seriously, all of your reviews have absolutely inspired me. I'd like to give an extra shout out to **Ken and Kao forever** for the wonderful reviews and lovely ideas, which in turn, sparked quite a few ideas for this story in my head. And thus, here we are.

Enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** umm… Don't own.

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**Chapter 3: What the hell is a Friend?**

Since the school is within walking distance of my house, than that obviously means that it is within walking distance of Kaoru's house too. (I am still thanking Kami-sama that he is so good to me.) So, here's my plan. I will wait for her to walk out, and then conveniently walk out at the same exact time. No, I am not a stalker! I just want some…_ quality_ time with her. Only one problem with my so called plan:

I like sleeping…

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Shit. Shit. Shit. I'm late. I'm late! Goddammit! Why doesn't my frickin' alarm clock work when I need it to??

Wait. I don't have an alarm clock… _oh…_ Well that makes a whole lot of sense, I suppose. I let myself chuckle a little bit at my own joke, and then take the time to realize that I am so freaking late, it's not even funny.

Why do I care? Because of two reasons. A) I was going to walk Kaoru to school today. And B) I may get another detention today which means that I won't be able to walk Kaoru home. Ah, damn. Since when did I care so much about a girl anymore?? Oh wait, I know. Ever since yesterday when I realized how incredibly alluring my little kitten is.

I quickly threw random clothes on, ran my fingers through my tangled mess of hair, put on my shoes while tying my hair back, washed my face, brushed my teeth, grabbed my bag, and I was out the door. All in a total time of 4 minutes. Ha. A new record. I feel so proud. I was even more pleased to find that Kaoru was on her way, not too far ahead of me. I smirked at my luck, and imagined Kaoru's lovely eyes igniting at the sight of said smirk.

Deciding to show her, I jogged up to where she was walking. I noticed her tense at the sound of my footing, and turn around really quickly. I was slightly confused to see a somewhat relieved expression on her face at the sight of me. Though, the relief quickly vanished under the annoyed façade she put on. Awwww. How cute, she has to _force_ herself to be annoyed with me. I'm touched.

"Hey there, _Kaoru_," I noticed her shiver again at the way I said her name. Damn, I will never get tired of that.

"Morning, Kenshin," she grounded out.

"What? No _Good_ morning?" I asked with a charming smile.

"Well, it was until you came."

I full out laughed at her comment. I heard her growl at my amusement. "Don't you mean, it got better?"

At the sight of our school coming into view, she let out a nearly inaudible sigh of relief. Well, that's nice. "You are so cocky. Don't you have other friends to bother?"

My smile immediately vanished at the thought of everyone that I went to school with. Me? Friends? Right… So, in a firm voice, I said, "I have no friends."

She immediately snapped her eyes to mine, and I saw them widen. However, there was no pity like I had expected. Just surprise, and…empathy? Damn. This girl is really an enigma. "Oh," she whispered in a downcast voice. She seemed to have a contemplative look on her face. I found it amazingly cute. However, then, she looked up at me with determination in her eyes. "Then go make some," she said in a firm voice. How the hell do I make a friend?

I was just about to ask her exactly then when she suddenly disappeared from my side. I looked up to see her running up the entrance way going into the school building. She stopped, turned around, gave me a breath taking smile, and ran off again. I was stunned. This girl could do so much to me. But her simple, nearly naïve words, dug deep into the recesses of my mind. And I just knew that they wouldn't go until I did something.

I found myself wanting to please this girl that I had just met. Everything about her was so… breathtaking. She was stunning, for starters. Absolutely beautiful. Her gorgeous blue eyes that told you everything, her silky raven hair, her milky complexion. Her determination blew me away. Not to mention her fighting skills. Now I could think of a few things we could do together…

Anyway. Back to the friend issue. How the hell do I, Kenshin Himura, make a friend? Wait, wait. I'm getting ahead of myself. What _is_ a friend? Maybe I should look that up… And with that final thought, I walked into the depths of hell… I mean school.

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**Friend** (frnd)

Noun

1. A person whom one knows, likes, and trusts.

2. A person whom one knows; an acquaintance.

3. A person with whom one is allied in a struggle or cause; a comrade.

Well, I suppose that really narrows it down. I slammed the book closed, ignoring all the surprised stares that were directed towards me from all angles of the room. It was the last period of the day. I was very disappointed to find that Kaoru wasn't in any of my classes. I did see her during lunch, but she was chatting away with this really energetic talkative looking chick with a really long braid. I was content to just watch her. I liked watching her smile, and laugh. It was music to my ears.

The bell finally rang, and I walked out of school. A friend. Ok, I know what one is now… but how do I make one? I'm not exactly the social or approachable type.

I looked around the school yard to see a bunch of people talking to each other and just hanging out. Though, one person stood out from the crowd, literally. He was really tall. I would have to say, at least half a foot taller than I am… which is a lousy 5'8". And he had incredibly spiky hair. He kind of reminded me of a rooster… hmm… However, I realized that I didn't recognize him. So, he must've been another new student here. He was standing under a tree, leaning against the massive trunk. He seemed to have a fishbone in his mouth… or something. I wasn't sure I wanted to find out. Though he seemed to have quite an impressive fighter's spirit in him as well. Interesting.

I found myself walking towards him. When I was barely 15 feet away, I yelled over, "Hey you!" He looked up at me questioningly. "Yeah, you. Come here."

He shrugged and started to walk over. This is the part where I get uncharacteristically nervous. How the hell do I make a friend??? So, when he finally got to where I was, I did the first thing that came to mind.

I punched him, square in the jaw. It wasn't my strongest, but I knew it would still jar him a lot. I nearly punched myself afterwards at my stupidity. I knew for a fact that this would not make him be my friend. Dammit.

I looked up to where he was. The punch I threw him would've knocked any guy on the football team to the ground. But there he was, in the same exact spot, looking quite surprised. I was about to apologize when I saw his fist suddenly flying towards my face. In my state of nervousness, I didn't have time to react, and didn't dodge.

Damn, that actually kinda hurt. Of course, I didn't move from my spot either, because not much can over power me anymore… but I was still surprised. I felt myself smile at the pride I felt for this new guy. I looked up to see him smiling back as well. I looked at his swollen jaw, and he looked at mine, and without warning, we both just started erupting in laughter.

Startled students snapped their eyes to where we were. Well, to me in particular. I could only imagine how astonishing it must be for them to find the badass of the school, who always wore something akin to a scowl, laughing for a change. But I just couldn't seem to get rid of the mirth.

When we finally stopped, we took huge gulps of air. I straightened up, as did he, and put out my hand. "Kenshin. Himura Kenshin." He shook it with a grin, and introduced himself as well.

"Sagara Sanosuke. You can call me Sano."

"Well, Sano. Welcome to hell, AKA high school." He chuckled, as did I.

"Thanks Kenshin. By the way, you have one hell of an arm there."

"Thanks," I replied. "So, you new here?"

"Yup. Sure am. Got kicked out of my other school for fighting," he said with unsurpressed arrogance. We engaged in small talk, on our way out of the school courtyard. I knew immediately that I would like this guy. But then it hit me. Suddenly I realized what a friend was. This Sano guy was definitely someone I could see just hanging out with.

Or reaping havoc in school with.

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**A/N:** yay! Kenshin got a friend! Well, this chapter didn't have any K/K fluff in it, but I do need fillers you know! I have finally decided upon somewhat of a planned out plot for… whatever this is. I still haven't decided yet. But I do have an idea of where its going.

But anyway. What did you think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? I would love any ideas, tips, advice, criticism…etc. And even though I don't like them, I do accept any flames.

So, leave your thoughts in a review! I just love all the reviews you guys send me. It encourages me to write more.

Thanks for reading.

LonelySoul


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Hey guys. I know it's been a while. Sorry. I've been super busy with finals and school. But now I'm finished. I took a little break after school was done, and than decided to start finishing this chapter. I know I've made you guys wait for a very long time. But since it's summer, I will update more frequently.

Anywho. Enjoy this new chapter!

**Disclaimer:** Standard disclaimers apply. I don't own.

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**Chapter 4: Friends and Enemies**

So, it turns out that Sano and I really did hit it off quite nicely. I think it was pretty inevitable. He and I could do anything together and have fun. Turns out, we have a lot in common. Ha. Go figure. But, it really is nice to have someone beside me. I don't feel so alone anymore.

Kaoru and Sano remind me of siblings; two rambunctious siblings that always fight over everything. It's absolutely comical. He teases her, she calls him rooster-head, he gets mad and makes fun of her, and she kicks his ass. I must say, the sight of her flooring a man two heads taller than her really is an amusing sight. They clicked almost as immediately as Sano and I did. I'm really not sure but…

It kind of feels like a little family.

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My gaze traveled from head to head, looking for her. I was walking down the hallway, on my way to homeroom, which didn't start for another 10 minutes. Yes, I was actually early. So sue me. I have my reasons…

A flash of raven came into view. There, she was at her locker. She looked absolutely ravishing, as usual. Form fitting jeans, a nice, but no where near slutty, shirt that accentuated her curves. Her casual clothing was so uniquely part of her personality. It was so refreshing. I started to walk over to her, watching as she talked amiably with that small girl with the extremely long braid. Actually, now that I think about it, I never see Kaoru talk to anyone besides me, that girl, and now Sano. It makes me wonder who else she is friends with.

The thought left my mind as I stepped closer. Her frantic ki bombarded my senses immediately. I loved her ki; it was like a breath of fresh air. Her spirit was invigorating, fiery, and strong. It showed off her finely tuned fighter's spirit, as well as her bouncy personality. However, today it wasn't so light. I could feel the dark emotions radiating off of her, though not shown on her face. It was unusually guarded. She seemed tense, though she obviously hid it well. Unscathed by her seemingly frenzied ki, I proceeded forward. I slinked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist. I felt her tense even more at my actions, until she looked towards me. Immediately she relaxed, and almost seemed to rest against me. The warmth emanating from her body and being absorbed into mine was soothing, almost reassuring. Though I made a mental note to ask why she was so tense later.

I finally looked over to Kaoru's companion for the morning. Short was the first thing that came to mind. She was attractive, though not as attractive as my Kaoru. Her bright green eyes sparkled with amusement at the sight of me and Kaoru together.

"You and Himura, Kaoru? Why, I never would have guessed," she teased. Kaoru flushed at her insinuation. I just held her closer, relishing in the warmness, and the fact that Kaoru had yet to pull away.

I extended my hand, "Himura Kenshin. Yes, I do realize you obviously know who I am. But I figured I'd be polite."

She smiled brightly and took my hand, "Makimachi Misao. Nice to finally meet the guy Kaoru is always daydreaming about." I instantly took a liking to the small girl. She exuded a fighter's spirit, as well. Much like Kaoru's, but her ki was much much more… I don't know how to describe it. Crazy, maybe? However, I could see her fitting into our small family quite easily. And I knew she would be sticking around.

I smirked, "Really now… Is that true, _Kaoru_?"

She shivered at the sound of me purring her name, as she always does. Her face flushed bright red, and I reveled in how cute she looked.

"Well, it's nice to know I'm so loved, Kaoru."

She huffed, "I think we need a bigger school to fit your ego, Kenshin."

And with that, she disentangled herself from my arms, and proceeded to walk away with Misao in tow.

Not one to be so easily discouraged, I followed. We did have the same homeroom, after all.

I placed my arm on her shoulder, "Now Kaoru—" My sentence died on my lips when she hissed in pain. I immediately retracted my arm.

Misao's suddenly worried voice chimed in, "Kaoru, are you ok?"

She quickly contained herself and put a slight smile on, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just.. umm.. twisted my arm the wrong way when Kenshin leaned on it. But it's fine, don't worry." She continued to walk. I knew she was lying, I barely touched her shoulder.

I quickly caught up to her and pulled her aside. "Kenshin! What the hell are you do—" she stopped.

I pulled up her short sleeve to reveal her shoulder; her slightly swollen purple, black, and blue bruised shoulder. It was horrendous, and the ugly marking traveled from the end of her clavicle, to the top of her upper back. Rage immediately filled my entire body at the sight of it. This was not an accident. This was an intentional hit. Someone hurt _my _Kaoru.

I distinctly heard Misao gasp from behind me, though I took no mind to it. I could feel my rage melt my eyes into molten gold. I glared at her wound, as if I could scare it away. But no, it was there. And it wasn't leaving. I looked up to find Kaoru's blue eyes downcast.

"Kaoru, what—"

"Misao, go to class," my deep voice reverberated through the empty halls of the school.

Scared by my sudden change in behavior, and my deathly low voice, she turned the other way. She stopped mid-step, "Kaoru, call me." Kaoru nodded in return, and she then slowly walked away.

Nothing could compare to the pure rage that flowed through my veins. I was absolutely livid. Kaoru tensed even more at the powerful aura that I could not keep reigned in. I took her hand gently, and lead her out of the school. She was silent, eyes downcast. She almost looked ashamed. But she followed me willingly.

We made our way to a nearby park. It was deserted, as I had anticipated. Kaoru tugged her hand away and walked over to a bench. She sat down, eyes still downcast. The sight she created reminded me of a chastised child. I mirrored her actions and took a seat next to her.

I looked towards her expectantly, waiting for her to start talking. A minute went by and she was still silent. I knew that she could feel my calculating gaze upon her. So, I prompted her to speak.

"Well…?"

"Well, what?" she replied softly.

"Don't you dare give me that, Kaoru. What happened?" I knew my expression must've been deadly. The thought of her hurt shoulder made my blood boil.

"It's nothing. It was an accident." She still couldn't look me in the eye. I knew she was lying.

I was quickly getting even more upset. Who the hell was she trying to protect? "You know me better than that Kaoru. And you and I both know that the horrendous bruise marking your shoulder was not an accident. It was intentional. So tell me what happened." My voice raised in volume ever so slightly.

Her face contorted in anger. A lone tear escaped from her eye. She finally turned to face me. Her dark sapphire eyes were filled with anger and shame. "Why the hell do you care, Kenshin!? Why the hell do you care about what happened to my shoulder!" By this time she was nearly yelling. More tears streamed down her cheeks, and the sight hurt me. The thought of Kaoru hurting, and me not being able to help was unfathomable. She continued her rant, "I don't get you! I've been here for what? Two weeks? And you seem to care so much about me. I don't get it! What makes you so different from everyone else?" she collapsed on the ground sobbing.

I sat there shocked. Why couldn't she understand that I really liked her? I stood up, and walked over to where she was, on the ground. I kneeled down and embraced her. My anger temporarily calmed, but still resounding in the depths of my mind. She grabbed fist-fulls of my shirt and held on for dear life. I pulled her to me and she cried on my shoulder. Her body shook with each sob, and the sound was painful. I hated seeing her this way. I hated seeing my usual strong, confident Kaoru so broken.

My rage surged at the thought, but I kept in contained. The raven-haired beauty in my arms started to quiet down. Finally, her sobs diminished completely and she looked up at me. Despite her tear stained face, her blushing cheeks, and her puffy eyes, she was still beautiful. Her eyes glowed with regret and sorrow.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I'm sorry for breaking down in front of you like this."

She had nothing to be sorry about. "Kaoru, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong." She suddenly tensed in my arms again. Her sorrow turned into fear and she suddenly disentangled herself from my arms.

"I'm sorry, Kenshin. It really is nothing. Don't worry about me." And with that, she ran off, leaving me and my tear-stained shirt alone, kneeling in the park. Shock. Shock poured through me. Than it clicked.

Hell no. Oh hell no. She isn't getting off this easily. The rage still bouncing through my mind once again boiled my blood. I knew my still amber eyes must've looked demonic. With renewed vigor, and determination, I ran off after her.

No way in hell was she getting off this easily. No fucking way in hell.

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Surprisingly, Kaoru was no where in sight when I exited the park. However, someone else I knew was.

"Sano!" The rooster look-a-like turned around. At the sight of me, a fond smile grew on his face. Than he took note of my appearance. I knew he could practically feel the burn of my molten, amber eyes, and the barely suppressed scowl on my face. Immediately, his expression changed to something akin to worry. He jogged to where I was standing.

"Hey buddy. What's wrong?" he questioned.

I couldn't even wrap my mind around what I wanted to say. Though I did find something. "Some son-of-a-bitch hurt my Kaoru. And she won't tell me who the fucking bastard is. Or even how it happened." My outrage was finally venting a little. "You should see it, Sano! There's a huge purple, black, and blue welt on her shoulder! I barely touched it and she hissed in pain."

The look on Sano's face now mirrored my own. "Where is she?" he growled out.

"She ran off. Told me not to worry about her."

"She's probably heading home. Come on, we'll find her."

And with that, we both ran in the direction we knew her home was.

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We arrived at Kaoru's home, and I scanned the area for her ki. I found her frenzied one in the dojo, however… it was accompanied by an unfamiliar ki. Both her father and her brother were not present in the entire area. I scanned the strange ki more thoroughly and instantly decided that I didn't like it. It was dark and foreboding. My efforts to get to Kaoru doubled instantly.

"Sano, she's not alone," my deep voice was heard in a soft whisper. He muttered a soft curse in return and we both sprinted for the dojo.

Upon sighting the dojo, we kept our senses alert for any danger. I snuck up to the door, that was slightly ajar, with Sano close behind me. Two voices emanated from the building. Kaoru's, and a strange man's deep voice.

"Well, you're back early from school, Kaoru."

"What the hell are you doing here? Get out. You're not welcomed here."

The man chuckled. "On the contrary, you owe me."

"I owe you nothing!"

"Oh, but you're fucking father does! Do you know how many years it took me to master the sword with my left hand!?"

"My father had every right to stop teaching you!"

"Well, all that is in the past now. I've come here for you, Kaoru."

"No."

I heard footsteps. They were heavy, so I assumed that the man was approaching Kaoru. I peaked in the doorway to find a big burly man alone with her. He was tall, large, hairy, and ugly. Kaoru took a step back for every step he took forward.

"Oh I've always loved your defiance, Kaoru. So feisty! But I can be forceful…" The wall stopped her from retreating. And he reached his hand out to grab her injured shoulder. She cried out in pain. After that I saw red.

So it was _him.__**He**_was the bastard that hurt her. After that, I couldn't take another moment of it. I slammed open the dojo door and stepped inside. Sano, looking just as fierce, stepped up next to me. We were met with the bastard's angry gaze, and Kaoru's fearful and relieved one.

All rational thought left my head. "_You_!" I growled out. "You better take your slimy hands off of her right now!"

He smirked at me, and squeezed her shoulder harder. Kaoru cried out louder.

Rage. Pure, unkempt rage. My eyes must've been glowing red. Before he could blink, I was in front of him, delivering a full on punch right in his face. He fell to the ground, nose bleeding. Though, surprisingly, he got up.

It was then that I noticed the katana resting at his hip. He unsheathed it and held it in his left hand. However, I was too outraged to let any rational thought enter my mind. I grabbed the nearest weapon off the dojo wall, and unsheathed it. I took no notice in the backwards blade, and started forward. I knew I was faster than him, and I used that to my advantage.

He was knocked out in less than a minute.

After that, I sheathed the strange sword and tried my best to calm down before I faced Kaoru. I felt my eyes convert to their normal violet, and turned around to face Kaoru, who was being checked on by a worried Sano.

"Sano, go call the police. I'll take care of Kaoru."

"Gotcha," he replied. And with a final wink to Kaoru, he was out the door, with the unconscious man over his shoulder.

I looked down to where Kaoru was seated, on the floor of the dojo. I took a seat next to her and brought her into my embrace. To my relief, she readily accepted it.

"Who is he?" I asked.

She finally looked up at me. "His name is Gohei Hiruma." The name sounded familiar, but I left that information in the back of my mind for later evaluation.

"What was he doing here?" I asked softly.

"Gohei used to be a student of my father's. I remember telling you not too long ago that the style my father teaches is based on protecting people. Not killing. Gohei didn't quite believe in those values, and he always tried to alter what he was taught to make the style more deadly. And he would constantly fight with other students in the class." She sighed. "I was a young girl at the time, still a beginner. But I remember the day perfectly. He came barging into the dojo, demanding that he be dubbed a master, claiming that he was the best in the class. My father refused. Telling him that he still had more to learn about the art of protecting. Gohei scoffed and than challenged my father. My father obviously won. He disabled Gohei's hand in the process, by permanently breaking his thumb." She finished.

"And he's now taking out his revenge? It looked like he could use the sword fine."

"Apparently, he re-taught himself with his left hand." Ah. So he did. I guess I did notice that.

"How long has he been stalking you?"

"He first approached me at the beginning of this week. He was more… forceful yesterday, which was the second time." Why didn't she tell her father?

As if reading my thoughts, she said, "I didn't tell my father because he's had too much to worry about lately. His sister, my aunt, has been going through a lot of trouble or something lately. It's putting a strain on him. That's why he's not here today. And that's why he wasn't here yesterday. He and Yahiko went to go visit her while I stayed and tended the dojo and the classes."

"Ah."

"That, and he threatened harm to anyone else I told..." she trailed off.

The thought made my blood start to boil again, but I quickly cooled off at the sight of her worried expression.

We sat there in silence, her pondering over her thoughts, and me observing her. She still looked beautiful as ever. The flame in her eyes a little dim from the trauma of the past couple days. I instantly wanted to fix that. Before I could control myself, my lips were connecting with hers.

She melted into my embrace and returned the kiss. It was slow, sweet, and sensual. I poured out all my feelings into it, because I wanted her to know just how much I did care for her. This girl was unknowingly crawling her way right into the depths of my heart. She bashed down my walls, and let herself in.

And I loved it.

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**A/N:** Well, I guess I'll end that chapter there for now. This ended up really long. It even surprised me! Lol

This definitely **is not** the end of the story. I have lotsa plans. And lotsa twists and such. So stick around.

And **REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!**

Seriously, please review. You're reviews inspire me. And the more reviews I get, the faster I work.

Thanks for reading,

Lonely Soul


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Hello, my faithful readers. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long. But I do have other stories to attend to.

This is where the story starts getting good.

So, Enjoy!

**Disclaimer:** Standard disclaimers apply. I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. I merely use its characters in my twisted world I call writing.

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**Chapter 5: Lessons on Why Life Sucks so Much **

Gohei Hiruma.

I could not get the name out of my head. One would think that I couldn't get the annoying bastard to leave my thoughts was because he hurt my Kaoru. But I like to think that I have a pretty rational mind. Meaning, there must be another answer. Hiruma was… _is_ a rat. And if he was someone of any importance, than there would be quite a few problems in the near future. I instantly thought of Kaoru. Sano was with her at the moment. Though, even knowing that she's in capable hands doesn't quell the turmoil and bad feeling resting in the pit of my stomach.

I knew for a fact that I couldn't leave this alone. I had to do something.

I walked down the sidewalk, ignoring the stares my bright red mane was attracting. Cars sped by in the opposite direction. I stopped short, and made a sharp turn into an adjacent alley way. Looking around and scanning the immediate area for any snooping ki's, I found none. Whipping out my cell phone, I dialed a familiar number that I've used far too many times to count.

It briefly rang once, and someone answered on the other line.

"_Shinomori, speaking._"

"Hey, Aoshi, it's me. I need you to do me a favor…"

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Again, I have a pretty rational mind. I have common sense to the extreme. I know how life works, and I know what I need to do to stay alive. So people should have a little faith in me when I get an idea in my head.

It's a simple concept really. What happens when your loved pet gets into accident? Or when someone starts bullying your friend? Or how about when some bastard, who is obviously so fucked up in the head that he even attempts this, decides he wants to hurt someone you love? You protect them. I reiterate: simple concept. You always feel the need to protect a loved one. Whether it be your pet, a friend, or your soul mate.

"Kenshin! Go away! Stop following me and get the hell out of here! You—" Her eyes shined so brightly when she was mad. It was breathtaking. Her face would contort into the cutest pout. So adorable. One could easily get lost in her fiery orbs of blue.

"Kenshin! Are you even listening to me?" Whoops.

"Of course I am, Kaoru." Well, a little white lie never hurt anyone, right?

"Ok, you ass, listen to me. And I mean _really_ listen!" She glared at me with those fiery sapphire eyes.

I mentally chuckled, not daring to actually utter a sound out loud for fear of my life. But never the less, I smiled my most charming smile; the one everyone always fell for. I can't say I'm not disappointed that Kaoru was immune, but that does make her unique. And Kami-sama knows I always love a challenge. "You have my full attention."

She narrowed her eyes. But she lowered her voice to a deathly calm volume, "Gohei is gone, Kenshin. They took him away. That was on Tuesday. It is now Friday. Three whole days have gone by since the incident and the only time I haven't seen you was yesterday for about an hour when you went who knows where. And even then Sano was trying, "discreetly" might I add, to follow me around too. You don't have to follow me around like I'm some glass doll! I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself." By that time, she was practically yelling again.

This time the charming smile left my face, and it was replaced with a serious expression. My eyes narrowed to mirror hers. "So you say, but I'm not the one with a huge ass welt on my shoulder from some thug getting the best of me. I'm only trying to ensure your safety."

So what If I had been following her around for the past few days? It was for her own good.

"Kenshin, put a little faith in me, ok? Gohei got the best of me because he watched me grow up. He obviously knew my weaknesses. And you cannot blame me for being invulnerable as a child! How was I supposed to know back then that he was going to grow up to be a jackass?!" She was fuming. Though the sight was beautiful, she did look fairly pissed.

Stepping forward, I watched with satisfaction as her demeanor quickly changed and a blush began to rise upon her cheeks at our close proximity. I leaned down close to her face. I was a breath away from her lips. I knew my eyes had started to contain amber swirls when an audible gasp escaped her lips. I whispered, "Listen, Kaoru. I'm doing this my way. And my way is law, right now. I'm sorry you don't like it, but this is for your own good. When I'm not with you, Sano is with you. When Sano isn't with you, I'm with you. And when, god forbid, neither Sano nor I can be with you, than there's always Misao. I know she is trained in the art of ninjutsu. But the bottom line is: I _am_ going to protect you." By this time, my voice lowered even more into something akin to a growl. "I will let _nothing_ hurt you again." My lips then barely grazed hers, before I pulled away.

I stepped back and quietly returned to my original task. Her breaths were coming out in soft, barely audible, short gasps. I loved the effect I had on her. Though, this was not the time to take it any farther. She needed to realize the importance of the situation.

I heard her calm down, though her eyes were glaring holes in the back of my head.

"Uh, Kenshin?"

"Hmmm?"

"Listen, I do get it. I get that you want to protect me. Though, I'm still not sure as to why…" she trailed off, than started again. "I'm just not used to people doing things for me. However, if this means that much to you, than fine. I know that I definitely cannot change your mind when it's set in stone already. But seriously Kenshin," she was beginning to raise her voice again. God, this woman is going to kill my eardrums one day, "this is going way too far!" I honestly didn't know why she was getting so angry again.

I looked at her and saw her eyes trained on the blue sleeping bag I was previously arranging on the floor of her room. It was a tight fit, but it would work. Kaoru's room was a tad bit small. But we would both be able to sleep comfortably without space issues.

"Kenshin!"

I turned to look at her again, "Yes Kaoru?"

She emitted a growl, "Get that thing out of here!" She pointed to the sleeping bag lying innocently on the floor.

"I know. Sleeping in a sleeping bag will be a bit uncomfortable. But your room is way too small for me to get a decent sized air mattress to fit. But thanks for caring." I flashed her my charming smile, and proceeded to dig through my duffel bag for my tooth brush.

Kaoru's face began to flush with anger. I smirked. Gorgeous.

"You're not sleeping here!" And with that, she grabbed my sleeping bag from the ground, along with my duffel bag, and threw them out of her open window.

She watched with a sick grin as the flying items landed in her koi pond with a splash.

Damn her.

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"Where is she?" Sano and I were seated at a bar. I had long ago ceased to be surprised at the amount of alcohol the man could consume. So, it also didn't come to a surprise when he was served willingly without being carded at almost any bar.

"Teaching a kendo class. Misao is with her." I downed a shot, feeling the slight burn as it traveled down my throat, followed by a pleasing warmth, settling in the pit of my stomach.

"You know you're going to have to tell her sooner or later. Better sooner than later, man." His chocolate brown eyes glanced at me with a disapproving look.

"Ok _Zanza_, sure. And than we can all sit around and giggle about cute boys and paint each other's nails." The sarcasm lacing my speech was not appreciated by the tall man sitting beside me.

"It's always the long haired guys you gotta watch out for," he smirked. When he saw my eyes start to darken, he grinned and continued, "You need to tell her, man. If I know anything about Jou-chan, is that she'll be pissed as hell when this all spills out."

My patience was wearing thin. Since when did the rooster head make any sense, at all? Ah fuck.

A total of four days had passed since the attack. Sano and I were right to keep a close eye on her.

00**Flashback**00

_His ki was stained with blood. He was perched at the edge of the street. I noticed him as soon as he was within a mile radius of our location. Surprised was the last emotion in my mind as he neared us. The moon rose high in the sky, and I knew it was about midnight. Kaoru was asleep._

"_Where is he?" a soft murmur sounded behind me._

"_A few blocks away, at the end of the street," I replied._

"_Damn, another one?"_

"_Looks like it."_

"_Shit, second one this week."_

_I didn't merit that with a response. I grunted in reply instead and focused on the on-comer. He was unaware of our presence. Meaning, he was just a low underling, given the dirty job for some petty cash. _

_He was a few feet away from the house when we pounced._

_Within a minute I was behind him, katana placed at the base of his throat. His breathing increased and his ki became frazzled._

_Sano was in front, he bended his knuckles, receiving a loud menacing crack from them. _

"_Who are you working for?" I growled out. I slightly placed more pressure, causing a thin line of blood to form underneath the blade. The man became tenser, and his hand edged towards the gun I knew he had inside his jacket._

_Watching the slight movement with narrowed eyes, Sano grabbed his arm, none too lightly. A satisfying crack resounded from the offending limb, and the man had to refrain himself from crying out in pain. _

"_Hey dipshit, answer the question."_

_I was slightly astonished at the dignity this guy could muster up with a broken arm and a blade pressed against his throat. "I won't tell you!"_

_Sano's eyes filled with rage, mirroring mine, I knew. He applied more pressure to his grasp on his arm. I almost laughed at the tears starting to leak down the bastard's face. "Tell me your mission," I demanded._

"_I was only supposed to take her to _him_," he cried out._

"_Who?!" Sano and I both yelled._

_He didn't answer, for he fainted dead away._

_I was outraged. Someone _was_ targeting her; just as I'd feared._

_Sano hauled the shaking man over his shoulder and began to walk away._

_The police would get a nice present tonight._

00**End Flashback**00

I sighed. So much for peace.

Sano was right though. Kaoru deserved to learn the truth about me. The truth about my past. If I wanted to pursue any kind of relationship with her, than she deserved to know what kind of man I was.

I was about to down another shot when a soft tune rang from my pocket. I took out my cell phone and flipped it open with out checking the caller ID. I had a slightly idea who it was.

"Himura"

"_Battousai_"

"Ah, Aoshi. Did you get that information I asked for?"

Sano passed me a questioning glance and I motioned for him to wait.

"_Yes. Gohei Hiruma is a rat. You were right. He worked for the underground. I am still unsure of who exactly he worked for, but I do know he had connections far across the field. News of him being in jail has caused quite an uproar, though. Whatever he wanted your woman for must've been important._"

"That makes no sense though. Kaoru is an ordinary girl. I'm certain she has no ties to the underground."

"_That's not what you should be concerned about now. She will be a target—_"

"Yeah, I know. She's been targeted twice, already."

"_Ah. Than be careful. I have a… well, I suppose you can call her an agent, in your area. She should be of some help before I arrive._"

"Name?"

"_Makimachi Misao"_

"Small world. We are acquainted."

"_Good. Expect me in two days._"

And with that, the line went dead.

"Who was that?"

"A friend. Shinomori Aoshi. He and I used to… work together, so to speak."

"He knows about the situation?"

"Yes. He can help. He's the okashira of the Oniwabanshu."

"Ah. Ice man."

I gave him a puzzled look. "You know him?"

Sano let out a chuckle. "He and I had a few run ins way back when."

I grinned, but didn't ask him to elaborate on the situation. I knew both of them well enough. "Alright man, you're wasted enough for tonight. Let's get outta here."

In truth, neither of us was really truly wasted. Our speech wasn't slurred, and we walked fine. My vision wasn't impaired in the slightest. Both of us seemed to have an uncanny tolerance for alcohol.

Upon stepping outside, I stopped short. Sano, noticing my hesitation, tensed and looked around. I felt a way too familiar ki, and the scent of plumb hung in the air. I let out a growl.

The silhouette of a figure stood in the distance. I didn't have to see her face to know who she was.

"Tomoe…" I growled out.

A soft laugh was my answer. "My, my, Battousai. I thought you were dead."

God, my life sucks ass right now.

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**A/N:** ha! Cliffhanger!!! Lol I know that's a horrible place to end the chapter. But I wanted to get something up before you guys got mad at me…

Well, I suppose the story is really beginning now.

I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Though I'm still open to any and all criticism, compliments, advice, flames…etc. you name it. leave it all in a review.

REVIEW! REVIEW! REVIEW!

This isn't just a cheesy line to get you guys to review, but they really do inspire me to write. So keep em comin'!

Love you all.

Lonely Soul


	6. Chapter 6

_**Last time:**_

"_Tomoe…" I growled out._

_A soft laugh was my answer. "My, my, Battousai. I thought you were dead."_

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**Chapter Four:** **The Past**

She looked exactly like she did the last time I saw her, three years ago.

Tomoe, at first glance, was a beautiful woman. She walked with a certain grace that most models did not possess. Long, dark hair ran across her back in soft waves, but was usually kept in a low ponytail at the base of her neck. Her features were soft, yet strong. Though, that is only when you first glance at her.

I stared into her lifeless eyes; the same eyes that I used to look in for comfort so long ago. Those same eyes that now mocked me, and burned with a deep hatred for me. Her usually expressionless face held a spiteful smirk that enraged me.

My gaze traveled down the gun she held in her right hand, and I cursed myself for not noticing it right away. My stance immediately switched from offensive to defensive, and I felt Sano do the same.

"What do you want?" I demanded.

Her smirk grew into a wry grin. "Well, well. Straight to the point now, are we?"

"Hey, bitch. Answer the question." It was slightly comforting to have Sano back me up. That is, until he opened his mouth.

Tomoe switched her gaze from me to Sano, seemingly noticing his presence for the first time. She glared at him, but then smirked, "Oh? What's this Battousai? Your fan club?"

Sano growled, but I lifted my hand to prevent any remarks that could get him killed. Ironically, I learned the hard way that her temper was short fused when provoked, even though Tomoe's demeanor was usually very placid and stoic. I also knew that she would not hesitate to pull that trigger.

I scanned her body for weaknesses. Tomoe was smart, but sometimes would forget pivotal points. She was clad in a simple black dress that hugged her curves. Always traditional, I never saw her in a simple pair of sweats and a tee-shirt. She always dressed up.

Let's see… unprotected legs. But she's very swift and extremely quick when avoiding attacks to the legs; trademark hidden dagger on right inner thigh right above the hem line of her dress, which fell a little above her knees; most likely a bullet proof vest under the dress. A blow to the lower abdominal area where the vest ends will slow her down.

I needed a distraction.

"So, how's Akira?" He is the asshole of the century.

Her features contorted slightly. The smirk turned into a snarl and the grip on her gun tightened. "You know very damn well how he is, bastard!" she yelled.

Oh, I'm sorry. _Was_ the asshole of the century… how could I forget…

I allowed myself a small smirk. Her thoughts traveled to her deceased lover, and my hand inched to the dagger kept hidden on my person.

Ok, one shot Kenshin. Don't screw this up buddy.

One…

Two…

THREE!

The dagger left my fingertips and flew through the air, causing a slight wisp-ing sound to reverberate around us. I held my breath, and felt Sano stiffen as he did the same.

The glazed look in her eye evaporated when she heard the unmistakable sound of the dagger cutting through air. Her eyes, almost never expressive, widened as the dagger hit its intended target. As an extra bonus in our favor, the gun dropped from her hand. However, she quickly picked it back up.

But by then, Sano and I were halfway home.

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She's so cute.

I watched her travel around her room, doing her morning rituals and mumbling to herself. Her blue eyes had not yet caught sight of me sitting in her window. Still in a sleep induced haze, she collected the things she needed for the day and continued her small morning rant.

"You know the problem with the world?? People are always doing the same old damn things every single day. Damn, why is the morning so dumb? And reflective? And bright. And early..."

I had to intervene here. How could I not? She was so setting herself up.

"So, you argue to yourself about the problems with the world?"

Her reaction was almost surprising. She stiffened, but made no move to turn around. Instead, she relaxed again, and went about her normal routine.

"I argue with myself about life, not the world. The world is too fucked up. But life includes more then just our world."

Interesting. "That's deep."

"I continue to surprise myself with my morning philosophies."

"Let's play some sad music, and you can recite proverbs to me."

"Why sad music?"

"Because Proverbs suck?"

"Probably because your feeble mind can't understand them."

"Or because the thought of a bunch of old guys sitting around a million years ago thinking of ways to improve our life with fancy words and puzzles disturbs me."

"They were probably naked too."

"Makes the image even more disturbing, thank you."

"Anything to cause you emotional pain, my dear." And with that, she left the room.

What the hell?

So not fair.

Since when does she win verbal spars with me??

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"So, tell me who this Tomoe is." The statement was a demand, not a question.

"She is the past." Someone I had long let go.

"What was she? A past fling, or something?"

"Honestly, Sano, I don't know what she was." And it was true. My relationship with Tomoe was hard to explain.

She took me in when I was younger. She brought me to her place of work, and that's where I lived and grew up in. But she was a different person back then.

I looked into Sano's questioning gaze, and the past returned to me.

0000000**flashback **0000000000

_The rain came down in sheets and soaked a little boy with bright red hair. He was situated on a bench, hunched over dejectedly, in the middle of a park. Tears ran down his face and mixed with the rain already dampening his cheeks. Silent sobs shook his body along with the shivers that ran down his spine from the cold. Incoherent mumbles escaped his lips._

_The girl watched him from underneath the safety of her umbrella. Her skirts made small whooshing sounds in the wind, and her unbound hair flew with the wind. She approached him silently, leaning over so her umbrella would protect him too._

_The boy looked up into dark eyes. She did not smile, nor did she frown. Her face was completely neutral as she looked into his puffy red eyes. No words were spoken between them. But she beckoned him to follow her. And follow her, she did, for she was the only one who had acknowledged his existence ever since they died._

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_She was four years older then him, but that didn't stop his affection for her. He followed her wherever she went, and adored her in every way. The place she had brought him to was odd, and filled with odd people. She and he attended classes every day. Combat classes, weaponry, first-aid, martial arts, and target practice. The first year was difficult. Fatigue plagued him constantly every day and his muscles were always sore. But he soon grew accustomed to the pain and the work load, and followed happily what he was forced to do. _

_The girl adored the boy as well. Though he was younger then her, she quickly grew fond of him and his bright personality. He was so hardworking, and extremely determined. She feared what the changes he would endure when he was finally put to work._

_000000_

_Ten years past. Now a young man of 14, he excelled in every single of on his lessons, quickly making it to the top. The two of them made an unbeatable team. It was time to put them to the test. _

_He was confused at first, but she assured him that everything would be fine. She had been on numerous missions already. She new what was to be expected. _

_She led him down the dark alley. And here, they waited for their "target". _

_The target was surrounded by many men. The small party turned down the alley the two were waiting in. She pulled him out of the shadows. One of the men that circled the target noticed their presence and alerted the other men. They attacked. _

_Before he could register what was happening, his mind immediately went into battle mode. The rest was a blur. He remembered unsheathing his sword, and the feel of steel cutting through bone. And soon, all of the men guarding the intended target were dead. Blood dripped from his sword as he watched the girl finish off the target. _

_Then he knew._

_He was an assassin._

_They named him Battousai after that night._

_0000000_

_After that, he was sent on many missions. He completed each and every one. Because she commended it for him. He craved her attention, and her compliments. _

_Finally, she paid more attention to him, and he finally got what he desired for so long. They entered into somewhat of a physical relationship soon after. The young woman had a stoic disposition, always dispassionate. Their relationship was not an emotionally connected one. But the young man was happy with what he got, none the less. _

_000000_

_The first time he saw her smile, she was with another man. A man of the name, Akira. Anger surged through him. The woman he had fallen in love with over the years, and whom he thought reciprocated his love, had only used him. She deceived him, and his soul paid the price. He was an assassin, a killer. All because of her. She knew what she was doing when she brought him to this place so many years ago. _

_And then she played with his heart. That was unforgivable. _

_000000_

_At the end of that week, he made his last kill- the man who she had shown her smiles to._

_His victim was not a mission, and thus, he knew he would be punished for it._

_The young man was gone before anyone found out. He was fifteen, and he would find his way in the world. _

000000**flashback** 000000

"So where did you go after that?" Sano did not have any pity for me, and for that I was thankful. Pity was not something that I wanted or needed. He understood, and he trusted me, and that was all that I needed.

"I wandered around for a while, and my shishou, Hiko found me on the street. He took me in, and supported me. He enrolled me in the high school. I told him my story, and he understood. He knows about the organization I ran away with. He agreed to help hide me."

Sano nodded in understanding.

"So what are you gonna do now, man?" He was referring to Tomoe.

"All of my past feelings for her have long since evaporated. And my heart belongs to someone else now." Blue eyes flashed in my mind.

Sano watched his friend's eyes glaze over with the thought of a raven haired girl whom the ex-assassin was enamored with.

"What is she doin' here?"

"They found me, and they must want me back. And they know that Kaoru is close to me," anger flowed through my veins at the thought of these murderous people. "They'll do anything to get what they want."

"We need to protect Kaoru." Sano stated the obvious. I will not let any of those people near her. "But…"

I looked at Sano questioningly.

"Well, how do we know that these people are only after you?"

What the hell is he talking about?

He must've noticed my confused face. "Well think about it. The first attack was the Hiruma guy, right? Well, he didn't even know you. What he wanted seemed to be just something that Kaoru could give him. Then there's Tomoe. She said herself, Kenshin. She thought you were dead."

What the hell? I didn't even register that until now.

"Maybe she was just saying that…"

Kaoru can't be the one who's being targeted here. What the hell is going on?

"Kenshin, something is going on here. I don't think these people are after just you."

Damnit. Kaoru is the source of my happiness. I will die before someone or something hurts her.

I will not be defeated.

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**A/N:**I am soooooooooooo sorry!!!!

There really is no excuse for this extremely long delay. I've just been super busy. And I kind of forgot where I was going with this. Again, I am so sorry. I hope this chapter makes up for it, kind of.

I'd like some reviews please. Whether you reprimand me for the late update, or you compliment the chapter.. I'd like it none the less.

Again, I'm sorry for the delay… Please review!!

Lonely Soul


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